You see, not surprisingly, there were several Edwards staffers who suspected something was up between Edwards and Hunter, and even though they weren't sure an affair was going on, they thought the appearances alone were horrible.

After all, in the cynical (but absolutely correct) eyes of political operatives, John's relationship with his sick (and yes, somewhat heavyset) wife Elizabeth was one of his best campaign assets. Edwards's strong support among women was due in large part to how they saw him as a husband.

So from time to time, staffers would try to warn John about Rielle, and how he should jettison her from the campaign.

Eventually it all came to a head, when the affair was unraveling, and the candidate threatened to fire one of his loyal 27-year old staffers, Josh Brumberger:

A few days later, in October, Brumberger flew from New York to Chicago to join Edwards for a trip to China. "Hey, I need to talk to you," Edwards said abruptly when they met in the terminal at O'Hare. They walked together to the airline's premium lounge, where Edwards had reserved a private meeting room for their conversation. "Sit," Edwards said—and then tore into Brumberger.

Stuff from the road is getting back to people, and it's obviously you who's doing it, Edwards said angrily. You didn't recognize who you work for. You don't work for Nick and Peter. You work for me. I trusted you like a son, but you broke my trust. I can't have you around me anymore. You're not coming to China, and you're never working for me again.

Brumberger's heart sank. "I'm sorry you feel that way," he said. "I always thought my goal in all of this was to do everything I could to help you become the next president of the United States."

"Why didn't you come to me?" Edwards asked.

"I did come to you! I came to you in Ohio. I called you after Labor Day! I tried!"

"No," Edwards said. "Why didn't you come to me like a fucking man and tell me to stop fucking her?"

They were both yelling now at the top of their lungs, red-faced and teary-eyed. ("You're a 27-year-old kid, and I'm a grown man!" Edwards railed. "Don't you think I've thought about this?") But when Edwards finally regained his composure, he seemed to recognize the implications of sacking Brumberger. Let's talk about all this when I get back, he said.